Trump News for Friday, March 13, 2026

WATCH: Emergency crews rescue tourists from boat fire off Miami Beach coast

ABC News, Abcnews.com

A group of tourists off the coast of Miami Beach quickly flagged down an emergency team on a nearby boat after noticing a burning smell and flames coming from their vessel.

Woman ordered released from ICE detention for 3rd time but may remain detained

Armando Garcia, Abcnews.com

Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman, was ordered released from ICE detention for the third time, but it’s unclear if she’ll be freed.

Trump says the US has 'totally obliterated' military targets on Kharg Island, the center of Iran's oil empire

Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert, Business Insider

In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said the US had destroyed military targets on Kharg Island, the center of Iran's oil empire.

This Supreme Court decision is bad news for Hollywood’s AI ambitions

Dan Selcke, MakeUseOf

How much AI can you incorporate into a film before it ceases to be a work of "human authorship"? Courts are trying to figure that out.

US judge nixes two subpoenas against Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Judge James Boasberg ruled US prosecutors under Trump produced 'essentially zero evidence' to justify the subpoenas.

WATCH: Iranian-American journalists on the sentiment inside Iran as war rages

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Yeganeh Rezaian and Jason Rezaian discuss life in Iran and how they escaped an Iranian prison after being accused of being spies by the government. The Rezaians now reside in the U.S.

The IRS’s Verification System for Sharing Taxpayer Data With ICE Would Have Accepted ‘Don’t Care 12345’ as a Valid Address

Mike Masnick, Techdirt

We’re a couple weeks late to this one, but it deserves more attention than it received. As the Washington Post first reported, a federal judge has found that the IRS violated federal law 42,695 times when it handed over confidential taxpayer addresses to ICE …

Class-action lawsuit filed after the Potomac sewage spill

Jeff Brady, NPR

A class-action lawsuit has been filed after part of a decades-old sewer line in Maryland collapsed in January, sending raw sewage into the Potomac River. After weather delays, repair work has resumed.

Kennedy Center president departs – months before the art complex's scheduled closing

Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump announced Friday afternoon that Richard Grenell is leaving the Kennedy Center. The arts complex is scheduled to close in July for renovations.

High Stakes, and a Low Bar, For Markwayne Mullin at DHS

Nick Miroff, The Atlantic

Trump’s nominee has one big thing going for him: He’s not Kristi Noem.

Mayor Mamdani creates LGBTQIA office, with NYC's first out trans agency head in charge

Giulia Heyward, Gothamist

Taylor Brown, at an announcement where Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced she would be the first head of the city's new LGBTQIA+ affairs office. Taylor Brown previously worked in the state Attorney General’s office, where she assisted in a lawsuit launched aga…

Trump’s Cuba ambitions, briefly explained

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: The Trump administration isn’t letting up the pressure…

Donald Trump Announces New Leader For Kennedy Center Amid Reports Of Ric Grenell’s Exit

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Donald Trump announced that Matt Floca has been tapped to serve as the executive director of the Kennedy Center, amid reports that Ric Grenell, who has led the arts institution for more than a year, would be exiting. Trump seemingly confirmed Grenell’s depart…

Cuba, US confirm high-level negotiations after Trump predicts regime's fall

Shannon K. Kingston, Abcnews.com

Cuba’s president has publicly acknowledged that his government was holding secretive talks with the U.S. as President Donald Trump intensifies his pressure campaign.

Anti-ICE Protesters Convicted on Terrorism Charges for Wearing All Black

Matt Sledge, The Intercept

The government won on most of its charges, including convicting defendants for moving a box of radical zines. The post Anti-ICE Protesters Convicted on Terrorism Charges for Wearing All Black appeared first on The Intercept.

White House Escalates War Of Words With “Sh*tty” CNN Over Iran Coverage: “CNN Is Lying to Undermine Operation Epic Fury’s Crushing Success”

Dominic Patten, Deadline

Like a mad dog with a bone, the Trump administration won’t or can’t let it go with CNN today over the cable news channel’s coverage of the ongoing war with Iran. “Fake News CNN is at it again,” proclaims a missive just put out by the White House mere hours af…

A Test for Trump’s Most Faithful

Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic

The longer the Iran war drags on, the more the president risks splintering a historically unified base.

Judge blocks DOJ's criminal probe of Federal Reserve, blasting it as political

Scott Horsley, NPR

A federal judge has put the brakes on a criminal probe of the Federal Reserve, saying it was part of an improper campaign by the Trump administration to pressure the central bank into cutting interest rates.

CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen Talks About His Week Reporting In Iran Amid U.S.-Israeli Bombardment: “We Were On Edge The Whole Time We Were There”

Ted Johnson, Deadline

CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen recently returned after a week from inside Iran, as the first American network team to enter the country since the start of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on the country. Along with photojournalist and producer Claudia Otto, Pleitgen trek…

5,000 more being deployed...

NBC News

5,000 more being deployed... (Top headline, 2nd story, link) Related stories:Pentagon Sends Marine Unit to Middle East... Newsom slams Trump for 'fundraising' off dead soldiers... NATO shoots down ANOTHER missile fired towards Turkey..…

The Jolene Doctrine

Marie-Rose Sheinerman, The Atlantic

General Stanley McChrystal’s analysis of Donald Trump, courtesy of Dolly Parton

Why Dems Keep Saying Trump Has “No Plan” Instead of Calling to End the War With Iran

Adam Johnson, The Intercept

By rallying behind process-based critiques, the Democrats are refusing to stand against the war on moral grounds. The post Why Dems Keep Saying Trump Has “No Plan” Instead of Calling to End the War With Iran appeared first on The Intercept.

Trump Deploys Marine Unit That Could Conduct Ground Operations in Iran

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

The U.S. is deploying to the Middle East a Marine expeditionary unit that can conduct ground operations if needed.Multiple outlets reported Friday that the amphibious assault ship the USS Tripoli, which is based in Japan, is being sent to the Middle East inst…

The Latest Economic Numbers Are Brutal for Trump

Timothy Noah, The New Republic

The likelihood is growing that the economy will be in recession when voters cast their ballots in the midterm elections. Goldman, Sachs on Thursday raised its 12-month estimation of a recession’s probability from 20 percent to 25 percent, and on Friday mornin…

Trump Tells White Reporter Immigrants Don’t Have “Your Genetics”

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

Donald Trump rambled about immigrants’ bad “genetics” Friday during an unfiltered white supremacist rant. Speaking on the phone to Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade, Trump complained that while some immigrants simply shouldn’t have been let into the United St…

It could be another rough weekend at TSA checkpoints: What to expect, and TPG's tips to prepare

Sean Cudahy, The Points Guy

It could be another slow go at airport security checkpoints this weekend as the partial federal government shutdown hits the one-month mark.

Bolivian authorities capture drug kingpin Sebastian Marset in police raid

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Marset was transferred into the custody of the United States, which has pushed for more aggressive antidrug tactics.

Trump Says Iran War Will Be Over “When I Feel It in My Bones”

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

Two weeks after he directed American forces to bomb Iran, Donald Trump has revealed he has no notion of when the war will end.The White House has thus far refused to provide the slightest semblance of a timeline for the latest unfounded Middle East war. But i…

Raging at Media, Pete Hegseth Just Said the Quiet Part Out Loud

Greg Sargent, The New Republic

Pete Hegseth wants to live in a world in which the American military can drop bombs on scores of schoolchildren and not face serious media scrutiny over it. And he just might get that world soon enough.That’s the only way to understand the defense secretary’s…

As Trump pauses Russian shadow fleet sanctions, Carney says Canada holding firm

CBC News

Three world leaders — two of them members of the G7 — stood united in opposition Friday to the Trump administration's decision to ease sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers.

Brazil pulls visa of Trump adviser who asked to visit Bolsonaro in prison

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva says Darren Beattie was 'prohibited from visiting' Bolsonaro in prison.

The more Americans learn about data centers, the less they like them

Lauren Edmonds, Business Insider

Data centers power the AI revolution, and are sprouting all over the US. They can also drain water and energy, and face growing opposition.

TSA workers miss a full paycheck, while travelers keep paying airport security fees

Joel Rose, NPR

Many TSA workers received no money in their paychecks Friday as the partial DHS shutdown drags on. Fees paid by airline passengers keep piling up, even as airport security officers work without pay.

The Republican Party’s Nazi Problem Is Getting Worse. It Should Care

Ryan Bort, Rolling Stone

Young conservatives are increasingly expressing support for Hitler and aligning themselves with Nazis. The GOP has largely shrugged in response.

Trump Rolls Out White Carpet For White Migrants

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

Roughly a year ago — as Trump was trying to turn anti-genocide protests into deportable antisemitism — his administration made it clear it was only willing to support white people with antisemitic views. The administration threw some anti-Israel filters into …

Trump Admits Putin Is Screwing Up His Plans in Iran War

Hafiz Rashid, The New Republic

Donald Trump admitted Friday that Russia is likely helping Iran in its war with the U.S., but doesn’t think it’s a big deal.Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade asked Trump in a radio interview if he thought Russian President Vladimir Putin is helping Iran in its war wi…

Since Dobbs

Amy Littlefield, The New York Review of Books

Brianna knew her husband would claim the pregnancy was an act of God. Their marriage was falling apart. She was fed up with his infidelity and with managing their kids and home on her own. The couple had recently separated when she realized her period was lat…

TSA Officers Miss Their First Full Paycheck as Fears About Long Airport Lines Get Real

Matt Novak, Gizmodo.com

Lines are expected to get much worse, and price hikes related to fuel-shortages are probably on the way.

A 'little excursion' or 'war'? It's 'both,' Trump says: ANALYSIS

Justin Fishel, Abcnews.com

Amid rising gas prices and uncertainly at home about the cost and duration of the war with Iran, Trump is telling Americans this is only a short-term mission.

In War, the Enemy Always Gets a Vote

Phillips Payson O’Brien, The Atlantic

The Trump administration didn’t expect Iran to target the Strait of Hormuz.

Ukraine, EU allies slam US decision to roll back Russia oil sanctions

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Volodymyr Zelenskyy says move 'does not help peace' as Europe reels from soaring energy prices linked to Iran war.

Ukraine finds new role as protector of US, Gulf allies amid Iran war

John T Psaropoulos, Al Jazeera English

Having abandoned Ukraine, the US has sought Kyiv's support in defence from Iranian drones.

Only Muslim Woman on Trump's MAGA Religious Committee Resigns in Protest of Iran War

Danielle Han, Jezebel

Sameerah Munshi also said her decision was in protest of a fellow committee member being fired after arguing that being anti-Zionist is not the same as being antisemitic.

After firings, funding cuts, and a shooting, can a demoralized CDC workforce recover?

Jess Mador, NPR

It's been a year since mass firings began at the CDC, the federal public health agency. Then came a shooting, and the government shutdown. Atlanta is still feeling the economic and emotional effects.

The Internet Is Dragging Melania Trump’s Description Of Herself

Matt Stopera, Buzzfeed

That's one way to put it.View Entire Post ›

Hegseth Demands Favorable Coverage As Iran Death Toll Increases

Nikkimccannramirez, Rolling Stone

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attacked media coverage of the war with Iran following the death of six more service members.

Imagine If the Trump EPA Cared Enough to REDUCE Our Daily Exposure to Carcinogens

Jim Vorel, Jezebel

The EPA's sole function is to protect Americans from environmental health threats, and yet again and again it backs carcinogens instead.

Fox News AI Newsletter: FDA rolls out AI-powered vaccine platform

Fox News

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Pence: MAGA Republicans ‘overwhelmingly supportive’ of Trump Iran operation

Yahoo Entertainment

Thousands march worldwide in solidarity with Palestine, Iran on al-Quds Day

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Despite war, al-Quds Day marches in Tehran saw thousands protest, voicing anger against Israel and the US.

A president suing himself? Why experts say Trump’s $10bn lawsuit might fail

Adam Shanks, Al Jazeera English

Experts say Trump's decision to sue over his leaked tax returns risks putting him in charge of arranging his own payout.

Has NY state's official Instagram account lost its mind?

Hannah Frishberg, Gothamist

From the @nycferry Instagram. Why are @NYGov, @NYCFerry and more city and state agencies are posting deranged memes alongside public information? [ more › ]

I Wrote a Movie Review. Cops Took It From A Protester’s Home to Make the Case That He’s a Terrorist.

Sophie Lewis, The Intercept

My little horror movie review was introduced to prove a conception of antifa that — like many of the monsters we scream at in horror flicks — isn’t quite real. The post I Wrote a Movie Review. Cops Took It From A Protester’s Home to Make the Case That He’s a …

US’s Hegseth claims new Iran Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei injured

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Pete Hegseth's remarks come a day after Khamenei pledged to keep fighting in first statement since he was named leader.

War and Football? What Kind of Sick Mind Thinks That Video Is Cool?

Michael Tomasky, The New Republic

You’ve surely seen or read about the video the White House put out last week that interspersed bombing footage from Iran with punishing hits from NFL and college football games, over AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” You can see it here. You will also see that it was …

Trump’s Inner Circle Fractures Over Iran War

Edith Olmsted, The New Republic

Vice President JD Vance appears desperate to create daylight between himself and Donald Trump’s disastrous war in Iran, as the president’s inner circle starts to split over the conflict. Two senior administration officials who spoke with Politico Friday paint…

It’s the Most Famous Line in NASA History. You’ve Heard It a Million Times. The Future of the Agency Now Depends on Remembering It.

Joel Achenbach, Slate Magazine

The agency’s new leader is showing promise so far.

Pete Hegesth Admits They’re Using AI in Iran War

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted that the U.S. military is using “every tool of AI” in the war on Iran.“Every tool of AI, of cyber, of space, EW, counterUAS, you name it—we’re employing it. Blinding, confusing, and deceiving our enemy. Because we know …

Pete Hegseth Goes Off On CNN At Pentagon Presser, Says “The Sooner David Ellison Takes Over That Network, The Better”

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave another media critique at a Pentagon press conference on Friday, this time singling out a CNN report that the Trump administration underestimated the war’s impact on the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, controlled on three …

Cuban President Diaz-Canel says talks held with US amid Trump threats

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Miguel Diaz-Canel says discussions held to find solutions 'through dialogue' as Washington tightens oil blockade.

IEA announces release of 400 million barrels of oil. But is it enough?

Yashraj Sharma, Al Jazeera English

Global energy watchdog pledges largest release from oil reserves amid war on Iran. But is 'one-shot' tactic sufficient?

Trump DOJ Wimps Out On Ticketmaster, Again Revealing Hollowness Of MAGA ‘Antitrust’

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Last election season, you might recall how the Trump campaign lied to everyone repeatedly about how his second administration would “rein in big tech,” and be a natural extension of the Lina Khan antitrust movement. As we noted at the time, that was always an…

Countries are negotiating rules to mine the deep sea. The U.S. is pushing ahead alone

Lauren Sommer, NPR

With growing interest in mining critical metals from the seafloor, countries are now negotiating international rules. The Trump administration is forging ahead on its own, speeding up environmental review for mining the fragile ecosystem.

Pete Hegseth’s manly act is backfiring

Amanda Marcotte, Salon

MAGA bros hoped the defense secretary would make them feel butch — with Iran war, he embarrasses them

The ‘bad leader’ trap

Somdeep Sen, Al Jazeera English

Turning leaders into symbols of evil makes intervention easy to justify and its consequences easy to ignore.

Labor Department chaos hides an anti-worker agenda

Russell Payne, Salon

Dysfunction at the NLRB has grown to the point that it’s even beginning to hurt employers

Four confirmed dead after U.S. military aircraft goes down in Iraq

NPR Staff, NPR

The U.S. Central Command confirmed that at least four of six crew members on the KC-135 aircraft were dead, after the refueling plane went down in western Iraq on Thursday.

Explosions near Tehran al-Quds Day march in solidarity with Palestinians

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Thousands across Iran join rallies in solidarity with Palestine, chanting against Israel and the United States.

Congress still has ways to pull back Trump’s war with Iran

Charlie Hunt, SoRelle Wyckoff Gaynor, Salon

What power does the U.S. Congress have over the president’s war in Iran?

Three Years Ago, Democrats Saved Silicon Valley. Its Billionaires Would Rather You Forget That.

Alex Kirshner, Slate Magazine

What should have been a humbling moment for Big Tech instead became a preview of the Dems' rocky relationship with the industry’s elite.

Trump wants more apprenticeships. An Arkansas manufacturer is giving it a try

Andrea Hsu, NPR

President Trump has touted apprenticeships as part of his promise of a golden era for American workers. But are his administration's investments enough?

Democrats set a turnout record in Texas, so is this the year it turns blue?

Domenico Montanaro, NPR

Latinos helped Texas Democrats set the new record for a primary, but the state has been a white whale for the party for decades.

Medicaid can share data with ICE. Here's how that 180-degree change spreads fear

Alex Olgin, NPR

When Medicaid began sharing personal data with federal immigration authorities last year, it upended decades of explicit promises to patients. Now, even eligible immigrants fear getting the health coverage.

Iran war: What is happening on day 14 of US-Israel attacks?

Elizabeth Melimopoulos, Al Jazeera English

Israel strikes Tehran as Iran retaliates across the Gulf; Hormuz disruption pushes oil prices higher and tensions rise.

How Israel-US war on Iran puts $50bn in Indian remittances at risk

Saif Khalid, Al Jazeera English

The US-Israel war on Iran has caused gas shortages, while nine million Indian expats in the Gulf face uncertainty.

WATCH: Teens charged in alleged murder plot seen laughing after arrest

ABC News, Abcnews.com

Two teens accused of plotting to kill a classmate will remain held in jail after prosecutors argued that footage of the two laughing in a patrol vehicle showed they continue to pose a threat.

WATCH: Israel continues striking Beirut as fighting intensifies

ABC News, Abcnews.com

ABC News' Matt Rivers reports from Beirut as the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensifies.

Oil stays above $100 a barrel amid Iran’s stranglehold on Strait of Hormuz

John Power, Al Jazeera English

Energy markets remain on tenterhooks as the prospect of prolonged war in the Middle East grows.

MAHA Institute: Nix The Entire Childhood Vaccine Schedule

Timothy Geigner, Techdirt

If you agree with me that what RFK Jr. has done at HHS — particularly when it comes to altering vaccine schedules, approvals, research, and access — is bad well, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Kennedy road Trump’s coattails, building his own Make America Health …

‘I Love Boosters’ Review: Boots Riley’s Crazy Fashion Heist Comedy Is Both Stoner Movie and Anti-Capitalist Protest Art

Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire

SXSW: Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, Taylour Paige, and Demi Moore are all deeply attuned to Riley's weird rhythms, even as his high-concept sci-fi ideas grow scattershot.

Iran war live: Trump says war going ‘well’ as Gulf under wave of attacks

Lyndal Rowlands, Zaid Sabah, Al Jazeera English

Israeli strikes kill dozens more in Lebanon, including 5 children among nine people killed in attack on village of Arki.